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Honest people the world over have always fought corruption. ‘Everyone’, everywhere, complains about it. Now there is increasing awareness of the damage caused by corruption to the economy and to society, and a greater concern to act. This may be attributed, in part, to increasing levels of literacy and general education over the past generation, and to the increasing levels of information brought to most people in most countries over the past decade.

The purpose of this paper is to distinguish between bribes demanded (extortion) and bribes offered (enticement); to indicate the causes of extortion and its consequences; and to suggest action by different groups to help reduce it.

The paper takes the form of an examination of reported extortion as miniature case studies and histories, leading to suggested actions to reduce it.

Extortion occurs when there are perceived opportunities to do so without penalty. It hurts the poor more than the rich, denying them justice and fair treatment and, with technology giving more power to the poor, it brings increasing risks of political instability as well as general damage to society and the economy. But extortion is more vulnerable to investigation and prevention than collusive bribery. Action to reduce it can be effective and recommendations for action are made for different groups.

More study is needed at municipal as well as national level, and by corporations, of the incidence of extortion and efforts to reduce it.

Better recognition of the differences between extortion and other types of economic crime, and consequent recommendations for action, should help reduce it and bring benefits.

Attention drawn to the risks of injustice and unfair treatment especially to the poor brought by extortion. Governments and corporations alerted to these. Actions suggested to reduce extortion.

The paper clarifies the character of extortion, the risks it brings and opportunities for its reduction and recommended actions to bring that about.

The estimated population of the City of Madras at the present time is about one million. This fact alone, considered in relation to public health, speaks for itself. The Public Analyst for the city, who has drawn up this report, acts under the Madras Prevention of Adulteration Act, 1918. The Act, therefore, has been operative for about thirty years. Two graphs are given in the report. One of these shows the number of samples of foods submitted by, it may be supposed, officials corresponding to our food inspectors, each year from 1931 to 1948. The other shows the percentage of samples returned as adulterated for the years 1931 to 1948. From the first graph it appears that the number of samples submitted was about 750 in 1931. In 1948 the number rose to 4,035. From 1931 to 1946 the rise on the whole was steady. From 1946 it was rapid—2,000 in 1946. The curve which expresses the percentage of samples returned as adulterated seems to bear little relation to the first curve. It is most irregular. During the first three or four years the rate of adulteration kept pace with the number of samples collected for analysis. We may suppose that milk is as necessary a constituent of food in Madras as it is elsewhere. Out of the 4,035 samples of food analysed in 1948, 2,054 were milk samples. Out of these 915 were cows‘ milk. The rest consisted of buffalos’ milk or a mixture of cow and buffalo milk, and a number were unspecified. Added water, in nearly every case, was the offence. This ranged from 2 per cent to 81 per cent. Nearly half the cows‘ milk was reported against; half the buffalos’ milk; and about 45 per cent of the mixed milk. If these figures be a measure of the efficiency of the Act of 1918 so far as it relates to the purity of the milk supply the statute would seem to be almost a dead letter. Admittedly many circumstances, especially at the present time, are responsible for the nature and extent of food adulteration in any given district, and these would lead to the unsatisfactory nature of the results just referred to. However, it is suggested that a powerful contributory cause is the inadequacy of the average fine that is inflicted for the offence of food adulteration. In 1944 this was Rs. 59. In 1948 it was Rs. 43, a drop of nearly 25 per cent. “ Let the punishment fit the crime.” The collection and analysis of samples is plainly in the nature of futility unless it be followed by correspondingly vigorous action on the part of the courts against proved offenders. The report remarks: “ Unless a more serious view of offences under the Food Adulteration Act is taken and the maximum penalties provided under the Act are imposed the good effect of increased sampling will be annulled, and much progress cannot be made of effectively suppressing the evil practice of adulteration in the city.” Other samples of foods were analysed and details of the results are given in the report. These show in many cases deliberate, heavy and unscrupulous adulteration which is, unfortunately, but too evident in the milk supply of the city.

Explores the concepts of transparency and accountability and assesses how they can be increased, relating this to the control of corruption and to effective democracy, and recognising that the cost of transparency is diminished confidentiality and privacy. Applies this to the retrieval of the proceeds of corruption, using a case study in Italy to show how a wife’s complaint about divorce compensation led to the uncovering of corruption involving many politicians. Discusses how codes of conduct and ethics often incorporate attempts to improve transparency and accountability.

In preparing this report, the compliance sub‐group has set out to (a) summarise the current compliance regime as a matter of law and practice, (b) identify particular problem areas within that regime concerning public sector officials (PSOs), and (c) suggest recommendations for change. The result may be seen as providing features of a ‘model’ compliance structure designed to cause difficulties for corrupt PSOs seeking to launder the proceeds of their corruption; UK law and practice has formed the springboard for the model, but it should be stressed that in order to be of any utility any suggested changes would have to be adopted (effectively) universally throughout the financial world. Piecemeal adoption by one or a few states would merely be likely to drive the tainted monies elsewhere, and would not serve the desired purpose of reducing the extent/profitability of corruption.

The investigation and enforcement sub‐group felt that its contribution to this project was best made by suggesting answers to this question:

BOURNEMOUTH lies in one of the most beautiful parts of South‐west England; and all the world knows how this region has been immortalised by Thomas Hardy, who by his romances and poems has introduced to the public of England and America the ancient land of Wessex.

WE have recently published one or two articles in which a contributor with a considerable knowledge of the Chinese economy has described some of that country's industrial activities. The articles have been scrupulously factual and impartial in revealing the ingenuity which has enabled a people desperately short of the technological resources of the industrialised nations to secure for themselves some of life's essentials.

THE method of conducting some of the Library Association professional examinations at provincial centres this year has given rise to a certain degree of adverse comment. We have received a letter from the National Union of Clerks, signed Mr. Herbert H. Elvin, the General Secretary, in which it is stated that “If it is intended that the Library Association examination should take a place amongst the recognised professional examinations some enquiry should be made as to the methods adopted in the various local centres for the supervision of the candidates.” After giving some particulars, the letter proceeds: “If examinations are to be held, would it not be better to abolish local centres altogether, and hold the examination in London, where all candidates might be sure of receiving the same treatment?” At the Annual Meeting of the Library Assistants' Association at Nottingham the other day, numerous complaints of a similar nature were made, of which particulars are given in the current Library Assistant. No doubt special local circumstances affected the administration of the examinations to a considerable extent, but even making allowances for this, there seems to be plenty of room for reform and improvement.

The purpose of this paper is to examine two specific circumstances where UK courts may stay the execution of a judgment to enforce a statutory adjudication decision; where a final decision is sought on a discrete point; and where the winning party is insolvent. In this context, there is consideration of what a “binding” decision means for the purposes of Part II of the Housing Grants Construction and Regeneration Act 1996.

A black letter, doctrinal approach is adopted, using two High Court decisions as a focus for wider critical reflection.

The cases where a final determination on part of an adjudication decision is successful are rare and will depend on the facts. Despite some unorthodox recent decisions, the likelihood remains that parties will struggle to challenge part only of an adjudication decision. The leading case authorities support the underlying principle of the Construction Act insofar as adjudication decisions are binding and should be enforced or else the Court will impose punitive statutory interest on the debt. This principle applies even in cases where the adjudication decision is successfully challenged in such cases.

This paper also addresses two decisions given by Edwards‐Stuart J. in the High Court, both of which adopt a novel approach to the relevant issues, and hence this discussion of those approaches demonstrates originality.